Paul Janish: Atlanta Braves

Once a promising young shortstop for the Atlanta Braves, Paul Janish is now manning a place on the 40-man roster for the Atlanta Braves.

And that's about the only good news concerning Janish's recent accomplishments.

Janish is currently rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery at Triple-A Gwinnett. He hit just .186 last year in 55 games for the Braves and doesn't figure to be of much help to them this year with Andrelton firmly implanted as the everyday shortstop.

There was speculation at one time that the Toronto Blue Jays were looking at Janish as a possibility after Jose Reyes was lost for several months with a sprained ankle.

However, Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said that making a trade for a shortstop only slightly better than internal options simply wasn't the best option.

"It's hard to make trades in April," Anthopoulos said. "Teams are just getting started. They want to see what they have, and shortstop isn't a deep position in the league to begin with. Anybody who can play the position and give you great offense is probably an All-Star already. Is there anyone we can get who's going to be better than our internal options? Maybe, but it might be marginally better, and you have to factor in what you're giving up. Since this injury is somewhat short-term, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense."

At this point, Janish is definitely not better than current Jays internal options.

Dan Uggla: Atlanta Braves

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves have stumbled, dropping six of their last eight contests heading into action on Sunday. While several players have stumbled offensively, second baseman Dan Uggla has continued his struggles from last season.

Case in point—prior to Friday's game with the Detroit Tigers, Uggla had a .400 batting average with two home runs against starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez. Sanchez struck Uggla out four times that night.

Uggla is second in the National League with 30 strikeouts and is hitting just .167.

The Braves owe Uggla $39 million over the next three seasons. As of right now, it's an investment they'd like to rethink.

Ryan Flaherty: Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Ryan Flaherty collected a double in four at-bats on Saturday in a 7-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

That hit raised Flaherty's batting average to .125.

It's still a relatively small sample size, but Flaherty now has a .194 average over 93 games in his career. The O's would love nothing more than for Brian Roberts to stay healthy, or for prospect Jonathan Schoop to mature quickly at the minor league level.

They're absolutely better served with either of those options than with Flaherty.

It was bad enough Aceves allowed eight runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings in a brutal 13-0 loss to the Oakland A's in 42-degree drizzle at Fenway Park. It was made worse by Aceves' actions in the third, when a) he threw 42 pitches, as he allowed six runs; b) balked twice in the span of a few hitters; c) failed to cover first base in time on a ground ball to the right side that would have ended the inning with the score only 3-0, and d) after the runner, Josh Reddick, was ruled safe, turned and made a lazy, flat-footed throw to the plate that sailed past catcher Jarod Saltalamacchia and allowed another run to score.

Aceves then used a bevy of reasons why his outing was so bad after the game, including, but not necessarily limited to:

Rain

Small strike zone

His teammates can't hit

Wait, he said what?

Yes, Aceves went there. He actually tried pinning the blame on his bad performance to his teammates on that bleak night. They were held in check by Bartolo Colon, with the game mercilessly being called by rain after seven innings.

Aceves went on and on following the game about the reasons for his putrid outing, but this particular comment raised more than a few eyebrows.

This quote from Aceves will not delight his teammates: "Also they got hacks. Why do we not hit? Same thing. It's just bad today." #redsox

Brent Lillibridge: Chicago Cubs

Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Chicago Cubs reserve infielder Brent Lillibridge has started the 2013 season with a .389 batting average.

Oh, wait—that's for Triple-A Iowa.

Lillbridge was farmed out to Iowa after hitting just .042 (1-for-24) for the Cubs in nine games. He had been designated for assignment, presumably meaning that no other team deemed him worthy enough to place a waiver claim.

"I'm telling you, if people didn't post people's batting averages on the scoreboard or in the media, people would be batting .400. I'm serious. I believe that. You look at Spring Training, and I know it's a small sample, but you've got guys hitting .500 in 50-60 at-bats. They know they're hitting good, but they don't know what they're hitting."

You have to wonder if Dunn would be saying that if he were hitting above .250.

Ryan Hanigan: Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds catcher Ryan Hanigan was placed on the disabled list with a strained oblique on April 21. He was hitting a not-so robust .079 at the time of his injury.

In his absence, Devin Mesoraco—the presumed catcher of the future—has hit .250 with five RBI.

Hanigan is a career .268 hitter well known for his skills behind the plate—he's thrown out 40 percent of runners attempting to steal during his career. If Hanigan's struggles at the plate continue after his return from the DL, the defense simply won't make up for carrying an automatic out every day in the lineup.

Ubaldo Jimenez: Cleveland Indians

At some point soon, the Cleveland Indians have to decide whether they will fish or cut bait with starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.

Jimenez showed some promise with his first start of the 2013 season. However, he has posted an ugly 14.73 ERA in his last three starts with nine walks in 11 innings.

Cleveland Plain Dealer writer Paul Hoynes discussed what the Indians could do with Jimenez if his struggles continue:

If Jimenez does not show marked improvement in the coming weeks, the Indians have three options. They can designate him for assignment, move him to the bullpen or see if he would go to the minors. Jimenez, who is out of options, would have to agree to such a move. Roberto Hernandez, the former Fausto Carmona, was the last Indians player to agree to such a move.

At this point it would seem almost a certainty that Jimenez's 2014 option will not be picked up. In fact, if Jimenez's struggles do continue, he'll be hard-pressed to find any team at all next season.

Don Kelly: Detroit Tigers

Don Kelly for the most part is a defensive replacement. He sure isn't being inserted into the lineup for his bat.

Kelly hit just .186 in 75 games for the Detroit Tigers last year, and he's followed up by hitting .136 this year thus far.

At 33 years of age Kelly is literally hanging on to his roster spot by his fingernails. At some point the Tigers will replace him with someone younger and cheaper—at this point a replacement player has more value than Kelly over the past season-plus.

Ramon Santiago: Detroit Tigers

Much like teammate Don Kelly, Detroit Tigers second baseman Ramon Santiago has gone from valuable and capable to a drain on the roster.

Santiago is hitting just .105 thus far through the first month of the season. Every contending team needs a bench that can be productive when called upon. Both Kelly and Santiago simply can't provide that kind of value right now.

Philip Humber: Houston Astros

Just over a year ago, starting pitcher Philip Humber was basking in the glory of throwing just the 21st perfect game in MLB history.

Many at the time looked at Humber as an unlikely candidate to ever throw a game like that. His recent efforts are proving why.

Since that incredible effort on April 21 last year, Humber has a 7.52 ERA. That includes five starts this year for the Houston Astros in which he's lost all five games, given up a league-leading 21 runs with a 7.99 ERA and allowed opposing batters to hit .343 against him.

Humber got his 15 minutes of fame last year—he could be getting a pink slip this year.

Erik Bedard: Houston Astros

Just last week, The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo highlighted Houston Astros pitcher Erik Bedard as one of a trio of players who could benefit from their time in Houston.

Via Cafardo:

One of the great benefits of playing for the Astros if you’re a veteran is that you get to showcase yourself for a possible trade at the deadline. Carlos Pena, Erik Bedard, and Bud Norris are prominent veterans who could perform well enough to escape a tough situation.

About the only thing Bedard is currently showcasing is his deficiencies.

Since earning his first-ever save on Opening Night in Houston, Bedard has been awful, now posting a 7.98 ERA after allowing five runs on eight hits and failing to get out of the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox on Friday.

Bedard was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates in late August last year after a two-month stretch in which he posted a 3-7 record and 6.21 ERA in his final 10 starts. That trend has clearly continued with Houston.

Bedard could see himself no longer pitching for Houston like Cafardo said, but it won't be because he has value to another team at this point.

Brett Wallace: Houston Astros

Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images

Houston Astros first baseman Brett Wallace is a lifetime .306 hitter in the minors. After hitting .300 with 16 home runs last year at Triple-A Oklahoma City, he was called back up by the Astros and hit .287 in the month of August.

Wallace slipped back to just .207 in the final month of the season, however. He slipped even further at the start of this season, hitting just .042 with a whopping 17 strikeouts in 26 plate appearances.

The Astros have given Wallace several chances already since the 2010 season—his time to impress in Houston may now be over.

Joe Blanton: Los Angeles Angels

For the first time this season, Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Joe Blanton pitched well enough for his team to win on Saturday.

Unfortunately for him and the Angels, he went up against the hot Felix Hernandez.

Blanton's six-inning, three-run effort wasn't quite enough, but he at least dropped his ERA to 7.09 on the season. Blanton leads the majors with 47 hits allowed and leads the AL with 21 earned runs given up.

Blanton was signed to a two-year, $15 million deal. For that kind of money, fans shouldn't have to hold their collective breath every time he makes a start.

Jason Vargas: Los Angeles Angels

Quite a few experts and pundits wondered aloud about the back end of the Los Angeles Angels' starting rotation before the season began.

Turns out they all had plenty of reasons why.

We've already discussed Joe Blanton—now on to Jason Vargas.

Vargas, acquired from the Seattle Mariners during the offseason, will pitch against his former team on Sunday. Thus far Vargas has posted an 0-2 record with a 5.82 ERA. It's been ugly, too—34 hits allowed in 21.1 innings, a 2.03 WHIP and just a 4.2 K/9 rate.

In fact, the three starters acquired by Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto—Vargas, Blanton and Tommy Hanson—are a combined 2-7 with a 5.92 ERA. Hanson has the only two victories.

Luis Cruz: Los Angeles Dodgers

The only reason Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Luis Cruz is on the roster right now is because he's out of options. He'd have to clear waivers in order to be re-assigned to the minors.

Cruz is hitting just .098 this season, and all five of his hits have been singles. Considering he contributed 26 extra-base hits in 78 games last season, it's certainly a complete turnaround.

Cruz is working with hitting coach Mark McGwire on correcting his hitting mechanics. But for now he's just taking up a spot on the roster while the team eagerly anticipates the return of Hanley Ramirez.

The production from the left side of the Dodgers infield thus far has been pathetic—a combined .160 average with two home runs and nine RBI. Cruz is just part of the problem, but with what he contributed last year, his 2013 start is a massive disappointment.

Coghlan has been nothing but a massive disappointment since capturing the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2009. He's likely just a placemat on the Marlins roster while young prospects continue developing in the minors.

Johan Santana: New York Mets

The Star-Ledger-USA TODAY Sports

New York Mets starting pitcher Johan Santana hasn't thrown a pitch in the majors since mid-August. Considering he retore the anterior capsule in his left shoulder, he likely won't pitch again this year.

Erik Kratz: Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies have to be absolutely thrilled that catcher Carlos Ruiz returned on Sunday from his 25-game suspension.

His replacement—Erik Kratz—hit just .191 during his absence, contributing a minus 0.5 WAR in the process.

The Phillies stayed somewhat afloat during Ruiz's absence with an 11-14 record, but they'll need all hands on deck in order to compete with the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves in the NL East. That simply wasn't going to happen with Kratz behind the plate full time.

Clayton Richard: San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres trotted out two pitchers at the beginning of the season who were considered the top two options in their rotation.

I hesitate to call them aces, because neither Edison Volquez or Clayton Richard qualifies as one. In fact, they'd be back-end rotation pieces on just about every other team in baseball.

Richard has been largely inconsistent, posting an 0-2 record and 7.94 ERA in four starts. He pitched a dandy on April 14 against the Colorado Rockies in allowing just two hits in six innings. He took a no-decision.

Nine days later, Richard couldn't get out of the second inning, allowing six runs on six hits to the Milwaukee Brewers.

It's that inconsistency that has plagued Richard. Opponents are hitting .319 and he's walked 11 batters in 17 innings.

Edinson Volquez: San Diego Padres

Denis Poroy/Getty Images

Speaking of inconsistent.

Edinson Volquez qualifies under that terminology as well.

Volquez is now 1-3 with a 6.39 ERA in five starts. He's given up a .315 average to opposing hitters. There have been signs of a turnaround—Volquez gave up just two runs to the Giants in six innings on April 19. He followed up with seven scoreless innings against the Milwaukee Brewers five days later.

Volquez has very little wiggle room—he gives up a lot of hits and features a high walk rate. He straddles a tightrope with each start. It's not easy especially with fences pulled in at Petco Park, but Volquez needs to pitch like he's a No. 1 much more often than what the Padres have seen thus far.

Mitchell Boggs: St. Louis Cardinals

Inconsistency and the inability to throw strikes is the bane of every pitcher's existence. In the case of Mitchell Boggs, it's without a doubt surprising.

Boggs was stellar last season, posting a 2.21 ERA in 78 appearances with a 1.05 WHIP and 2.6 BB/9 rate.

Those numbers have ballooned this year to a 10.80 ERA, a 2.40 WHIP and a whopping 8.11 BB/9 rate. Boggs took over as closer for the injured Jason Motte but has since lost that role to Edward Mujica.

Boggs has been steady and consistent over the past three seasons, so it's likely he's going through some sort of a mechanical issue right now. But he's an enigma every time he takes the mound, not a good thing when his team needs quick outs and a steady presence.

Marc Rzepczynski: St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals signed southpaw Randy Choate to complement left-handed pitcher Marc Rzepczynski in their bullpen.

Choate has done his job, posting a 2.70 ERA in eight appearances. Rzepczynski on the other hand—so to speak—has not.

After allowing two runs in two-thirds of an inning on Sunday, Rzepczynski now has a 7.88 ERA in nine outings. Left-handers are hitting him with equal aplomb—a .385 average as opposed to .348 against right-handed hitting.

That's the sort of performance that will give every manager headaches, not to mention a possible demotion.

Josh Johnson: Toronto Blue Jays

Another member of the Toronto Blue Jays rotation—and the third member of the Miami Marlins trade on this list—has given a subpar effort thus far.

Josh Johnson, thought to be a stud for the Jays, has been anything but.

He's posted a 6.86 ERA in his four starts with opposing batters having no problems figuring him out with a .329 average.

Only Jose Reyes has given the Blue Jays anything close to a quality performance among the players included in the trade with the Marlins thus far. It's no coincidence that they're now 5-10 without him in the lineup.